We are a few weeks away from kicking off the second edition of the Annual Rain City Showcase! This unprecedented NBA event in Seattle will pit the Los Angeles Clippers against the Utah Jazz. It will take place on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 in the Climate Pledge Arena. This sports arena has a capacity of 17,459 spectators. The party promises to be beautiful to celebrate the return of the NBA to Seattle.
History of NBA games in Seattle
The city of Seattle has a rich history with the NBA. The city’s most iconic franchise was the Seattle SuperSonics. These were founded in 1967 and participated in the NBA championship until 2008. During this period, the team experienced periods of glory, especially during the 1970s and 1990s.
The Sonics won their only NBA championship in the 1978-79 season. And this, under the direction of trainer Lenny Wilkens. Players like Jack Sikma and Fred Brown were part of the squad. The Sonics beat the Washington Bullets in a thrilling playoff series that ended in five games. During the 1990s, the team enjoyed another period of success, with iconic players such as Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. The Sonics reached the NBA Finals in 1996. However, they were beaten by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.
In 2008, after a long battle over funding for a new arena in Seattle, the franchise was sold and moved to Oklahoma City. It was renamed Oklahoma City Thunder there. That left Seattle without an NBA team for the first time in more than four decades. Since then, there have been many efforts to bring an NBA team back to Seattle. However, no agreement has been reached to date. Only summer league tournaments and NBA preseason games have taken place in Seattle since the Sonics moved.
A new NBA game in Seattle in 2023
In 2022, the first edition of the Annual Rain City Showcase gave rise to a duel between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Portland TrailBlazers. The Californian team finally won narrowly (102-97), after a suspenseful match. With 16 points, Damian Lillard finished the game as the top scorer. Despite limited playing time, opposing stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard put on a show.
For 2023, the Los Angeles Clippers will return to Seattle. This time around, they will challenge the Utah Jazz of Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson. A great fight is coming! Something to delight the 17,000 fans expected for this event…
Tickets for the Annual Rain City Showcase 2023
The ticket office for the second edition of the Annual Rain City Showcase is open! You can now buy your tickets for this event.
Since the game in Seattle is simply a friendly game, the prices charged will be lower than most regular season NBA games. The cheapest tickets are sold for 54 dollars. Prices go up to $800 for the most expensive tickets. On average, a game ticket for this poster opposing the Clippers to the Jazz finds a buyer for 150 dollars. Don’t wait for prices to increase by reserving your tickets today.